The Last of Us TV show is well-received, building on the popularity of the pre-established video game franchise. You've no doubt heard people talk about it, either online or among friends in real life. So it's only natural you're thinking of trying it out for yourself.

If you've never played the games before, you likely have some questions about the show. Here are the answers to some of the more common questions about The Last of Us.

1. What Is The Last of Us Show About?

At the risk of being condescending, the answer to this question should really only ever be, "watch it and find out!" But some viewers like to know exactly what they're getting into, so we'll oblige.

The Last of Us is about a post-apocalyptic world that has been overrun with a different kind of zombie. A hardened survivor, Joel, is tasked with protecting 14-year-old girl Ellie, who may be "humanity's last hope." It is a story about survival, hope, fatherhood, and love. Really, it's a story about the best of human experience under the backdrop of apocalypse, disease, and dystopia.

2. Do You Need to Play the Game Before Watching the Show?

With The Last of Us being based on a video game franchise, you may assume that means you need to play the games to understand the show. This is not true, however, and it's actually a benefit if you haven't played the games, as then you will be able to enjoy the plot playing out with enough surprises throughout the show. That is, of course, if you can avoid the rush of people who will take great delight in spoiling and lording over their knowledge of the franchise.

Playing the game will give you some insights into the story, and you'll be able to tell what has changed between the video game and TV show versions, but it's not necessary. While you can still enjoy the show even if you haven't played the games, you might want to give The Last of Us video game a try. It's regarded as one of the best games ever, and there are many other similarly awesome games you can play if you like The Last of Us.

3. How Does the Infection Work?

Usually, zombie shows are fairly vague about how the infection spreads, adding to the mystery, which adds suspense and a sense of threat. The best example of this is The Walking Dead, which never reveals how the infection works, nor uses the word zombie.

That's not the case for The Last of Us, though. The infection in The Last of Us is based on the cordyceps brain infection, which is a fungal infection that takes control of the host's brain and transforms the body as it grows inside them. If that wasn't enough, the fungal infection pushes the infected host to bite others and spread the infection further.

If that wasn't creepy enough, here's a fact: it's real. The cordyceps infection is real and affects insects. Humans are, fortunately, immune. In The Last of Us, the infection has managed to infect humans, giving us a look into what could happen if the virus managed to jump from insects to humans in real life. If the cordyceps infection did jump to humans in real life, you'd want to get started with DIY projects to survive a zombie apocalypse.

4. When Does The Last of Us Take Place?

With post-apocalyptic shows, it can often be difficult to know exactly when they're set. Sure, there are cars and remnants of technology, but we've had technology and cars for a while.

When it comes to the question of when The Last of Us takes place, unlike other zombie shows, it's been made clear. The show is set in 2023, concurrently with its release date. However, the show opens in 2003 at the start of the outbreak. This is a slight difference from the game, which starts in 2013 and time jumps to 2033.

5. Is the Show Suitable for the Whole Family?

There are so many new shows being released all the time, but family TV has taken a bit of a loss from the culture of watching TV. You may be one of the families trying to bring back the idea of watching a show as a family, in which case you'll be wondering whether The Last of Us is suitable for you and your children.

The Last of Us has a rating of TV-MA, meaning it is considered to have aspects unsuitable for those under the age of 17. As always, you'll have to use your judgment on whether you think your children or teenagers can watch the show.

6. How Is the Show Different From Other Zombie Shows Like The Walking Dead?

You'll be forgiven if you're still feeling the fatigue of zombie shows after the influx of material surrounding the genre throughout the 2010s. There are many zombie shows and films out there, including some of the best TV shows to binge-watch, so what makes The Last of Us different from other zombie stories like The Walking Dead?

Firstly, the story tones slightly differ. While The Last of Us and The Walking Dead both focus on survival in a post-apocalyptic world, much of The Last of Us is tied up in the idea of family and fatherhood. Whereas The Walking Dead took an ensemble, large family tone, The Last of Us is a bit more focused on the characters it follows.

Secondly, the zombies themselves. In many shows and movies, the zombies simply walk everywhere. Never stopping, never faltering, even if they're slow. In The Last of Us, the survivors have no such luck. The zombies run at you, stopping at nothing to turn you into one of them. Moreover, the zombies in The Last of Us evolve over time. A person's body will start to change if they've been infected for too long, which means you can expect a greater sense of threat.

7. Will There Be More Than One Season of The Last of Us?

Shows are popping up and getting canceled all the time. You can be forgiven if you don't see the point in starting a show if there aren't many signs of it having any longevity. However, you don't have to worry about this with The Last of Us, as the show was confirmed for a second season before the first had even finished airing.

HBO is not in the habit of creating shows simply for one or two seasons. By investing in The Last of Us and showing enough faith to greenlight multiple seasons early on, you can expect at least a new season or two of the show before it winds down to cancelation. At the time of writing, there are two games in the series, with a third possibly on the way.

Time will tell how popular The Last of Us TV show proves to be, but there's a good chance you can expect it to build up a multi-season amount of content.

What Are You Waiting For? Give The Last of Us a Try

If you've made it this far, you are interested in watching The Last of Us. The show is popular for a reason, so it's clearly doing something right.

Give the show a try and see for yourself. What's the worst that can happen? If you don't like it after an episode or two, you can always find something better to watch next time.